One wonders... auto service adventures

Yesterday I took my beloved Lucerne to the dealership for service. The result was both good and bad. I will start with the good.

I was told by the Ford dealership service department that I should consider having the brakes done on the car. I use the Ford dealership's service because they offered a quality oil change for a mere $15. Cheaper than the GM dealership a couple of miles up the street. The Ford service department had always treated me fairly. So, I began thinking about the brakes. They had never felt real solid and they are much weaker, in my opinion, than Faye's Lucerne (two years newer than mine). So I figured that, even though I have only 49,000 or so miles on the car, it might be a good idea to get new pads. I make an appointment, arrive at 8 AM (my appointed time) and get a courtesy van ride home. An hour later I get a call from Jason, one of the service writers.

"Your brakes are fine," he says, "They don't need service at all."

I am impressed. They could have changed the pads and charged me the usual arm and leg but they didn't. I come down to pick up the car and there is no charge whatsoever. I am even more impressed.

And now we move to the bad.

Jason tells me the left front wheel bearing is starting to go. and also that I might want to get my power steering system flushed. The charges would be $539.70 and $129.95, respectively. I politely decline both.

The wheel bearing issue bothers me. I owned a 2001 Impala prior to buying the Lucerne and its left front wheel bearing went bad at about 45,000 miles. I noticed it first. The grinding noise reminded me of a coffee grinder trying to chew up pebbles. I had an extended warranty on that car and it covered the cost completely. I do not have extended warranties on the Lucernes. The Lucerne's wheel bearing is making no noise at all. It does not seem to need service. I suspect it does not need service at all.

I was reminded of the Ford dealership in West Palm Beach that told me my left front wheel bearing was going on my `94 Ranger pick-up. I questioned that and they called the technician over to talk to me about it. He tried to explain that he found the wheel would wobble easily when he had it up on the lift and even tried to show me (but couldn't). When I pointed out that it should not need service since they had replaced the entire front end, including the left wheel and all components, just two months prior... after I had been hit by a Firebird.

"Did you guys use shoddy parts or do poor work?", I asked.

And no more was said...